Anthony G. Irish

3 Things You Might Overlook When Finding Your Ideal Wedding Reception Venue

The wedding market is booming- and don’t we just know it! We seem to have options in abundance. Want your reception venue in a rustic barn? No problem! In a train carriage with disco lights? Let’s do it! Featuring some fire breathing acrobats? Take your pick!
Though, when making a booking, dropping the ‘W’ bomb down the phone seems like a great way to hike up the bill, so we need to make sure you’re shelling out for the experience of a lifetime! Here are some tips to consider when you’re on the look-out for an ideal venue:

Lighting

Something often overlooked, but integral to give your wedding photos that professional edge! If you want to look fabulous in every frame, then you’ll want to get this one right. The lighting of a venue will also really set the mood for your evening. Think ambient light to set a relaxed tone- ready for a night of partying!
If your venue doesn’t have great natural light then you can call in the ‘big boys’ and a professional lighting crew will zip right over and do all of the hard work for you. Here’s to picture-perfect skin!

Guest List

Hopefully at this point you’ve figured out who your friends are… and which of those lucky people are invited to your celebrate your big day. The size of your guest list defines which of your potential venues are actually viable.

If your budget looks set to burst, then decreasing the size of your guest-list is the number 1 way to cut costs quickly. Of course, on the other hand, dreaded last minute drop-outs can and do happen. Try to think practically, even if it’s thrown off your seating plan. If possible, speak to the venue and try to recoup the pay-per-head cost of their meal. You could convert it into extra money behind the bar, or maybe you can negotiate an extra appetizer in exchange.

Weather

Mother nature is one mistress you don’t want to mess with. Depending on the season, the weather may throw more some more considerations into the mix when booking you big day.
Will your wedding marquee provide adequate ventilation for your summer soiree? Guests have been known to take an early leave from a stuffy summer wedding that’s poorly ventilated and swamped with bugs. Consider whether that beautiful high-ceilinged Victorian hall that you booked will hold in the heat to ensure a perfect winter wedding.

Try this: here’s a deciding factor, stand at the entrance to your potential venue and visualise your day. Does your theme fit in with its canvas? Can you see yourself smiling here, amongst a backdrop of fairy lights and surrounded by family and friends?

Planning a wedding is a very practical thing, but after all is said and done, sometimes you just have to wait for a venue that resonates with you. Feel that spark! Use our list to guide you and go check out some venues!

Getting The Best Out Of A Small Wedding Venue

In today’s culture of perfect instagram pictures and pinterest boards, there is more pressure than ever to have a big, blow-out, ballroom wedding. However, for those of us with tighter budgets and smaller venues there are many tricks you can use to keep costs down and still get a wedding album to be proud of.

Guest List

Be strict with your guest list. You don’t need to invite your second-cousin-three-times-removed. If you haven’t seen someone in the last 2 years, you wouldn’t invite them into your home, especially if you don’t even exchange Christmas cards, they don’t make the cut. You’re paying for their meals and drinks too – is this something you’d be willing to do any other day of the year? The numbers add up quickly.

Wedding Day

Consider what day you have your wedding on. Sure, everyone wants to get married on a Saturday, but at least ask about Friday/Sunday, possibly even mid week! There are hefty discounts to be found. Not everyone works Mon-Fri in this 24 hour world anymore, and if someone wants to be there they will make it work.

Decoration

The right decoration can take a venue from 0-100 instantly. Professionally placed lighting can make a room look bigger, more expensive and can transform a dingy reception room to a castle fit for your fairy tale. You can personalize your big day and direct the focus of your guests exactly where you want it. Big dancer? Light up the dance floor. If you’re a big food fan you can draw all the focus to the tables. From centerpieces to feature walls, the right lighting and decoration will be talked about for years to come, as well as proving the perfect backdrop for photographs with all of your nearest and dearest. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love fairy lights?

Shop Around

From your dress to your cake to your venue, call up competitors and compare quotes. Make sure you are getting the best deal! Adding the word “wedding” to anything allows retailers to hike up the prices, so make sure you’re not being overcharged by one retailer when another would offer you a much fairer price!

There are plenty of ways to make your wedding work the way you want it to, while still leaving a few pennies left for the honeymoon. With a little bit of research and prioritization, you can recreate your dream wedding without breaking the bank.

How to Plan for a Luxurious Wedding: Tips for Making a Lavish Venue and Party

The process of planning a luxurious wedding starts and ends with the venue. Your choice of venue and its design needs to be exquisite. It’s the uniqueness element and style in the venue that makes it luxurious. You can lend accessories such as the lighting sets to make a luxurious wedding. This means that you don’t have to own everything. But, how do you make a wedding luxurious? If you are a wedding planner, here are the basic tips to help you turn an ordinary setting into a luxurious one:

1. Personalise the Wedding

You should make everything your own. From the flowers to the lighting, try to make the choice personal. Understanding the setting of the wedding venue is important for any luxurious wedding planner. You should be able to relate to the setting. For example, it’s vital to make the photo spots appealing at a personal level. To effectively achieve this, it’s vital to learn a few things about the bride and groom. This will help you create a personal theme that matches with their taste but still keeps the glamourous touch.

2. Create a Warm Wedding Experience

The experience that the guests get to have determines if the wedding is luxurious or just ordinary. You should prioritise on having the guests entertained throughout the wedding event. To achieve this, you should put yourself in the guest shoes and think of what they like and what they expect from the wedding. This will help you decide on the right catering service, lighting, choice of music, and reception.

3. Create a Fabulous Feast

In a luxurious wedding, the guest should be treated to fabulous sight, smell, and sound. A wedding is a big event, and it’s vital to take it as a big production. You should put into place beautiful scented candles stationed glamourously and delicious menu with a feast. Basically, your choice of light, entertainment, and food should have a feast touch. You can lend professional light system to make the wedding appear fabulous through optimal and magnificent lighting.

4. Give Every Detail Equal Importance

In luxurious wedding venues, there is nothing less important or more important than the other. For example, you cannot give more attention to catering and neglect the reception. Neither can you give the attention to the flowers and neglect the lighting accessories. In deciding on the budget, it’s vital to factor in all the details of the wedding venue so as to maintain the luxurious status in all aspects of the event.

5. Consider the Wedding Timeline

Your timeline should not leave any details out and your guests should have a copy of the checklist beforehand. It should indicate:

• when the bride’s hair will be done
• when she’ll be picked up
• when the ceremony will kick off

Conclusion

Generally, luxurious wedding venues are not dictated by money alone. There are things that you can employ in the wedding that money can’t buy. For instance, you cannot buy the right atmosphere. It’s vital that the bride, groom and the guests feel a luxurious experience from the setting based on preparation, entertainment, and lighting.